Like A Prayer
by Kelsey1
Summary: A mysterious lady comes to Hogwarts in troubled times, no body, not even Malfoy is willing to trust her after the freakish events that happen upon her arrival.


Life is a mystery, everyone must stand alone  
  
I hear you call my name  
  
And it feels like home  
  
  
  
"Are you sure? Don't say that if you're not sure!" came a bossy voice mixed with that of worry.  
  
"Hermione, would you get over it already? It's happened, the Ministry is gone, we failed..."  
  
"Don't say that Ron, because I am not willing to let Voldemort win..."  
  
"It couldn't have been Voldemort, could it have? We just defeated him, it is too quick-"  
  
"It is one of his servants surely, a Death Eater."  
  
"Who would be so bold? Most of his death eaters work at the Ministry...they wouldn't want to lose their jobs."  
  
"Someone who hasn't got anything to lose?"  
  
"People like that don't even work at the Ministry, Harry."  
  
"You're right, I can't believe-"  
  
"Mr. Potter, a word" said Dumbledore interrupting the heated discussion amongst Harry, Ron and Hermione in the Gryffindor common room. The old man, though worn and rough from the years, stood still intimidating.  
  
"Is there a problem, sir?" Harry asked following the Professor out.  
  
"No, not really, our Ministry has only been destroyed." Dumbledore smiled meekly. "But really I'd like you to meet Ms. Skyler Wheeler, a mentor from Ireland, come to lift the students spirits, she has." Dumbledore informed.  
  
"Oh, Okay, I get it. You need me to inform her of the situation, right? Make sure she knows who she can say exactly what too, try to keep her from inflicting pain from fragile people like Neville, right?" He asked.  
  
"Precisely Mr. Potter, two steps ahead as usual." Dumbledore complimented.  
  
Harry smiled, as he walked in the office he saw a young, very young, no more than 18 year old girl sitting in the chair opposite of Dumbledore's. She had dark black hair and a face that suggested maybe she was in great pain, great loss too. But how? She was from Ireland. She smiled as Harry entered and took a seat next to her as Dumbledore settled into his office chair.  
  
"Now, Ms. Wheeler, I'd like you to meet Mr. Potter-"  
  
"Sir, I must speak with you immediately!" McGonagall burst in.  
  
"It can't wait a few minutes Minerva?" Dumbledore asked raising his eyebrows.  
  
"Life and death Albus, life and death." She said a look of confusion upon her face.  
  
"Very well, Harry please inform Ms. Wheeler of the population here at Hogwarts."  
  
"Sure Professor." He said a little concerned.  
  
'Life and death...life and death...life and death'  
  
The shocked face of his Professor scared him, but Skyler interrupted him.  
  
"Well, what kind of students do we have here?" She asked seeming interested.  
  
"Well my friends are mainly Ron and Hermione, You can say almost anything to Ron, just don't say Voldemorts name around him or Hermione, or talk about great amounts of pain and suffering around Hermione. Neville...he's suffered. Don't mention anything about the mentally insane..." He looked over, she was taking notes. It reminded him so of Hermione. "Perhaps if you ask for names first, it would help." He suggested.  
  
Skyler laughed, "Yes, I suppose it would."  
  
"Now Draco Malfoy, he is just...evil. He's probably the only kid in the bloody establishment who knows what's going on, or perhaps all the Slytherin's do..." Harry stopped when he saw a glitter in Skyler's eye. It soon vanished as fast as it had came.  
  
"Any others?"  
  
"Not that I know of, just stay away from the worst with most everybody, and don't talk about Cedric Diggory-"  
  
"Oh no, that's who I was going to use in my beginning speech tomorrow at dinner." she pouted.  
  
"Well Cho and the Hufflepuff's might not like it very much." Harry said seriously.  
  
"Very well..." Skyler sighed as she pulled out a parchment and marked out a paragraph.  
  
"I've got some rewriting to do, excuse me." She smiled and left.  
  
Harry, of course, couldn't leave yet. He needed to be escorted or have a pass. So he waited in the silence, until he heard the concerned whispers of Dumbledore and shocked babble of the transfiguration professor outside the door.  
  
"Albus, she was just lying in the hallway, dropped. She seemed...poisoned, but there were no marks of penetration, no signs of food or drink anywhere. Nothing done with her wand...no sign. How are we going to cure her? Another student can't just...die," she said.  
  
"I understand Minerva, but you must smile, do not ignite panic. It is your job to keep order, Hermione will not die. What I don't understand is why she left the common area anyway; perhaps she was trying to tell us something. Did she have any books with her?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
Harry gulped; Hermione was hurt, now he was hanging on every word.  
  
"She had a small piece of paper that looked as though it had been delivered by owl, but no writing on it."  
  
"Check it for invisible ink and report to me at Dinner."  
  
"Yes Albus"  
  
"Oh, and Minerva-" Dumbledore chimed as Harry heard her footsteps heading away.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"It's not your fault."  
  
Then the door opened and Dumbledore's face looked old and grave.  
  
"I suppose you heard that, where has Ms. Wheeler gone?"  
  
"She had some rewriting to do. What happened to Hermione?"  
  
"She appears to be poisoned, they just found her limp in the hall."  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"Mr. Potter, I suggest you give it no more thought and get back to the common area to calm everyone's nerves, you can be a hero later."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Here is your pass." Dumbledore said signaling the end of the discussion.  
  
Harry nodded, "Yes sir.".  
  
  
  
Harry approached the portrait hole sooner than he has realized. The fat lady asked for the password about ten times before Harry finally heard her. Muttering it lightly she eyed him before letting him in.  
  
"Hey Hermione did you give that to Dumbledore?" Ron turned to meet Harry's stun-stricken face.  
  
"Harry? Where is Hermione?"  
  
"It's all true. More true than ever, the Ministry…all gone. Hermione…hurt…" he said shaking his head.  
  
"Sit down Harry." Ron said leading his friend to the couch.  
  
"Now what happened…be calm…." Said Ron not calm at all himself.  
  
"When I went down there, I met a strange girl, a supposed mentor to calm the student body. That means…the rumors of the Ministry are real. Then Dumbledore was dragged off, and when he came back he reported that Hermione had been found in the hall. They think she was poisoned, but why leave her there? There were no penetration marks…any spells…her eyes were closed, it's not another Basilisk…" Harry said.  
  
Ron looked at Harry long and hard before gulping and nodding, "Right hen, we'll look tomorrow okay? We don't have time tonight…sleep on it; you'll work better. I know you want to get to the bottom of this, but bed first. You know what Hermione would say…you need the rest." Ron said nudging Harry along up the stairs.  
  
Somewhere in the distance, Albus Dumbledore was looking somber faced but still strong. He too felt sick. What was becoming of the wizarding world? Of Hogwarts? Of…him?  
  
His World was once a concrete foundation, but now he could feel the rich texture of sand wriggling beneath his feet. He could feel everyone backing against the ledge, but soon they would all be sifting through this loose foundation, down into a foul Hell.  
  
  
  
No matter what Ron said, Harry couldn't sleep. He'd closed his eyes, but he was just laying there, useless. Harry Potter felt as if he had finally failed, but he hadn't, there was much to be done still. Without Hermione here, he didn't have the strength to realize it. It was love beyond love, it was caring for her unconditionally. Beyond kissing, beyond being lovers. Like…sisterly love.  
  
He had tried once, but the bond was much stronger than he was.  
  
  
  
Hermione Granger's eyes shot open inside the hospital wing. She felt the wrenching pain inside of her veins and didn't dare move. She remembered exactly what had happened to her.  
  
No sooner was she about to call for help then a dark, sinister figure stepped from the shadows, and knocked her out. She hadn't seen her attackers face; a second time.  
  
  
  
(The End for Now) 


End file.
